What is evidence-based practice in nursing OSCE?
Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in the Nursing and Midwifery Council OSCE is a 10-minute written station. Candidates are given a scenario linked to a peer-reviewed nursing or medical journal article based on one of the EBP topic areas. You will be asked to read the article, identify and extract the key information, summarise the main findings, and use the evidence to answer a question from a colleague or patient.
Answers are written in the first person and usually in bullet-point format, showing how you would apply the evidence safely to nursing practice, decision-making, or patient education.
It is important to study the EBP marking criteria before your exam so you know exactly what the examiner is looking for. Reviewing the criteria beforehand helps you recognise the key points in the article, structure your answer clearly, and include the information needed to achieve marks within the time limit.
If a candidate is unsuccessful in the EBP station and needs a resit, they will usually be given the same EBP topic again at the resit, although the scenario or article may be presented differently. This means it is helpful to review your previous feedback carefully and revisit that topic in detail before your resit.
Common EBP article topics include:
- Ankle Sprain
- Bedside Handover
- Cervical Screening
- Cholesterol and Coffee
- Dementia and Music
- Diabetes
- Female Myocardial Infarction Symptoms
- Fever in Children
- Honey and Propolis as HSV Treatment
- Honey Dressings for Venous Leg Ulcers
- Osteoporosis and Exercise
- Pressure Ulcer Prevention
- Restraint
- Saline vs Tap Water
- Smoking Cessation
- Effective Communication with Colleagues
Candidates are asked to summarise the evidence, identify the key findings, comment on whether the evidence is reliable and useful, and explain how they would use that evidence in practice when responding to a patient or colleague.
